So, since February is the month of love, I decided to read a whole bunch of Young Adult Contemporary novels.
Book #1: Confessions of a Not It Girl by Melissa Kantor read February 1, 2015
Although I read this in a day, it wasn't one of the best books I've ever read. Jan Miller, pronounced Yahn, lives in the Upper East Side of New York whose best friend is rated a magazine's Top 20 under 20. She has a normal teenage life but she is also privileged. I don't know if I would classify this as YA or more so Middle Grade. I have my reasons for this.
The way this novel is set up, there is very minimal plot line. So little in fact that as I'm writing this a month later, there are no big stand outs for me. It also compares a lot to The Clique Series and the Secrets of my Hollywood Life series in the way that the girls, though in this novel they are in high school instead of junior high, they are privileged, go shopping and eating out way too much and are seriously boy crazy. That's something that's not in my taste to read about, but that could be in someone else's taste.
I had originally rated this a 4 star. But, I may be dropping it down to a 3.
Book #2: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin read February 2, 2015
Another book I read in a day! Anyway, this book follows our main protagonist, Naomi, who has had an accident and suffers brain trauma. As a result, she suffers from amnesia. She doesn't remember being on yearbook staff, why her friend Will calls her "Chief", her boyfriend, or playing tennis.
But then, she meets James. James is the one she thought was her boyfriend when she woke up in the ambulance after falling. James said that he was her boyfriend so he could ride in the ambulance with Naomi to make sure she was okay. But then he mysteriously disappears.
Until Naomi returns to school. Turns out, James is a student at her high school and the reason she had never seen him before, other than the amnesia, is that he is a transfer student and a few years behind schedule. Anyway, long story short, James and Naomi start dating.
As the novel progresses, we learn more and more about the character of Will and his philosophies. He's co-editor-in-cheif of the Yearbook with Naomi and he is generally a nice person all around. He doesn't really like James, or the person the amnesia has made Naomi become. She stops coming to Yearbook meetings all together. But Will sort of blames himself for her fall. But I'm not going to say why, you'll have to pick up the book!
I gave this book a solid 4 stars. My typical rating for a contemporary story. I would have given it a 5 if there was a little bit more back story. But overall, it was a good book.
Book #3: Silence of Six by E.C. Meyers read February, 2015*
This book blew me away. I'm sure by now, you've all heard a synopsis of this. Basically, our main protagonist Max, has a best friend named Ethan who commits suicide via live stream broadcast to the entire school during a public event. That was televised.
I don't want to say much about this book, you should read it yourself. But I want to warn you that this book is centered around "hacktavists" and some of the technical jargon was tough for me to understand.
But it was an excellent book. 4.5 out of 5 stars. Would have given it a full 5 star rating, and may if I read it again in the future, if it was easier to connect with some of the characters.
Book #4: If I Stay by Gayle Forman read February, 2015*
Another YA contemporary novel, imagine that! ;)
This book is about Mia, who is a prodigy on the cello. She is so good that she has an audition to Juilliard. But, for most of the book, Mia is in a coma from a car accident that she was in with her parents and little brother.
But, you may ask, how is this novel put together? Well, the novel is composed of mostly flashbacks. We see Mia interacting with her family before her car accident. We don't get much view on the car accident itself, other than her parents were DOA.
The chapters alternate with flashbacks and Mia being in the hospital. You know how people in movies in comas are always able to see and hear and comprehend what is going on around them? That's how Mia's hospital story is told. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I gave this book a solid 4 star rating.
Book #5: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick read February, 2015*
I really enjoyed how teen romance was captured in this YA Contemporary novel. We follow our main character Samantha, who lives on a small island of the coast of Connecticut. She is a trust fund baby and her mom is state senator. And her mom hates their neighbors and anything to do with them.
Sam is coping with two summer jobs and the craziness of her mom's schedule. When one day, she meets Jase Garrett. One of the boys from the family next door. As you may guess, a romance kindles between them. They keep it secret from Sam's mom in the beginning. They don't want Sam's mom to be any more crazy than she already is. And anyway, her mom is busy with a boy-toy of her own.
Sam is quite comfortable with all the members of the Garrett family and even babysits on occasion, without her mother knowing of course. Suddenly, her mom's election agent (<- is that even a thing, or did I make it up?) intervenes with Sam's relationship and things spiral from there.
I gave this a 4 star rating. Typical for a contemporary from me. :)
So, what did you read this month? Did you have a theme like me? Or did you just pick whatever you liked off of your bookshelves? Let's discuss in the comments down below!
Type at you soon!
Shea
*I didn't save the exact dates in my goodreads account, and I didn't want to guess. :)
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